Switched-mode power supply controller and method for operating a switched-mode power supply controller

Abstract

Embodiments of an SMPS controller and a method for operating a switched-mode power supply (SMPS) controller are described. In an embodiment, an SMPS controller includes a gate driver circuit configured to generate a drive signal for a switch of an SMPS and a current sense electrical terminal configured to receive sensed current corresponding to the switch and to conduct driver discharge current from the gate driver circuit.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A switched-mode power supply (SMPS) controller, the SMPS controller comprising:
 a gate driver circuit configured to generate a drive signal for a switch of an SMPS; and 
 a current sense electrical terminal configured to receive sensed current corresponding to the switch and to conduct driver discharge current from the gate driver circuit. 
 
     
     
       2. The SMPS controller of  claim 1 , wherein the SMPS controller further comprises a current comparator configured to compare the sensed current with a reference current. 
     
     
       3. The SMPS controller of  claim 2 , wherein the gate driver circuit, the current comparator, and the current sense electrical terminal are electrically connected to an electrical connection point. 
     
     
       4. The SMPS controller of  claim 3 , wherein the current comparator comprises an input terminal configured to receive the sensed current, and wherein the input terminal of the the current comparator, the gate driver circuit, and the current sense electrical terminal are electrically connected to the electrical connection point. 
     
     
       5. The SMPS controller of  claim 2 , wherein the SMPS controller further comprises a current source configured to generate the reference current. 
     
     
       6. The SMPS controller of  claim 1 , wherein the SMPS controller further comprises an error amplifier configured to generate an output signal based on a difference between an input voltage that corresponds to an output voltage of the SMPS and a reference voltage. 
     
     
       7. The SMPS controller of  claim 6 , wherein the SMPS controller further comprises a pulse width modulation (PWM) controller configured to generate a PWM signal to control the gate driver circuit in response to the output signal of the error amplifier. 
     
     
       8. The SMPS controller of  claim 6 , wherein the SMPS controller further comprises a voltage source configured to generate the reference voltage. 
     
     
       9. The SMPS controller of  claim 1 , wherein the SMPS controller further comprises a second electrical terminal configured to transmit the drive signal to a gate terminal of the switch. 
     
     
       10. The SMPS controller of  claim 9 , wherein the SMPS controller further comprises a third electrical terminal configured to receive a supply voltage for the gate driver circuit. 
     
     
       11. The SMPS controller of  claim 1 , wherein the SMPS controller is a packaged Integrated Circuit (IC) device. 
     
     
       12. The SMPS controller of  claim 1 , wherein the SMPS controller further comprises a ground connection electrical terminal, and wherein the driver discharge current from the gate driver circuit is not conducted to electrical ground through the ground connection electrical terminal. 
     
     
       13. A switched-mode power supply (SMPS) controller, the SMPS controller comprising:
 a first gate driver circuit configured to generate a first drive signal for a first switch of an SMPS; 
 a second gate driver circuit configured to generate a second drive signal for a second switch of the SMPS; 
 a current sense electrical terminal configured to receive sensed current corresponding to the first and second switches and to conduct first and second driver discharge currents from the first and second gate driver circuits; and 
 a ground connection electrical terminal, wherein the first and second driver discharge currents are not conducted to electrical ground through the ground connection electrical terminal. 
 
     
     
       14. The SMPS controller of  claim 13 , wherein the SMPS controller further comprises a current comparator configured to compare the sensed current with a reference current, and wherein the first and second gate driver circuits, the current comparator, and the current sense electrical terminal are electrically connected to an electrical connection point. 
     
     
       15. The SMPS controller of  claim 13 , wherein the SMPS controller further comprises an error amplifier configured to generate an output signal based on a difference between an input voltage that corresponds to an output voltage of the SMPS and a reference voltage. 
     
     
       16. The SMPS controller of  claim 15 , wherein the SMPS controller further comprises a pulse width modulation (PWM) controller configured to generate first and second PWM signals to control the first and second gate driver circuits in response to the output signal of the error amplifier. 
     
     
       17. The SMPS controller of  claim 13 , wherein the SMPS controller further comprises:
 a third electrical terminal configured to transmit the first drive signal to a gate terminal of the first switch; and 
 a fourth electrical terminal configured to transmit the second drive signal to a gate terminal of the second switch. 
 
     
     
       18. The SMPS controller of  claim 17 , wherein the SMPS controller further comprises a fifth electrical terminal configured to receive a supply voltage for the first and second gate driver circuits. 
     
     
       19. The SMPS controller of  claim 13 , wherein the SMPS controller is a packaged Integrated Circuit (IC) device. 
     
     
       20. A method for operating a switched-mode power supply (SMPS) controller, the method comprising:
 generating a drive signal for a switch of an SMPS using a gate driver circuit of the SMPS controller; and 
 conducting driver discharge current from the gate driver circuit through a current sense electrical terminal, at which sensed current corresponding to the switch is received.